The invention relates to a sectional element mat made of sectional elements arranged one beside the other, which preferably form at least one layer of a multi-layer mattress.
It is the task of a mattress to provide optimum support regarding the forces acting on the reclining body, thereby offering a maximum of rest and relaxation to the user. For this reason mattresses are divided into several supporting zones, which are to provide supporting force to individual parts of the body as physiologically required. In previous models, the individual supporting zones were permanently integrated in the mattress, that is, they were built in during manufacture of the mattress. Such mattresses are known as 5- or 7-zone mattresses. In these mattresses, the supporting force of the individual zones and their positions are determined by the average dimensions of the human body and cannot be individually adjusted. After manufacture, changes of the individual supporting zones are not possible. Since the physiological suitability of a mattress can only be judged after prolonged use, a modern mattress must provide the possibility of defining and changing both the supporting force and the position of the individual supporting zones at any time.
Development of such individually designable and modifiable zone mattresses has been going on for some time and mattresses using such technology have reached the market. As a rule the individual tailoring of such mattresses is obtained by making exchangeable, individual elements of the mattress. These early developments are, however, beset with deficiencies and problems. One of these problems usually is that the size of the exchangeable elements is too large and their structuring too coarse. For this reason the individual supporting zones cannot be tailored precisely. A further problem sometimes is due to the fact that exchanging individual supporting elements is impractical for the user.
In this context a single-layer mattress has become known from EP 1 177 750 A1, which consists of a plurality of chain-like coherent elements connected by bonding or by residual links. By breaking the residual links, some elements may be removed and replaced by others.
From JP 2002 034726 A, it is furthermore known to provide a recess in the base of a mattress into which cushion elements with a cover are fitted. Below the cushion elements a firmness regulating means is located, which consists of alternating rigid and flexible foam elements that may be mutually exchanged.
It is the object of the present invention to further improve the technology of individually designable and modifiable zone mattresses made of foamed plastics or latex and above all, to address the above mentioned problems, i.e. provide for finer structuring and easier handling.
The invention achieves its aim by providing sectional elements that are connected to each other or to a base mat in an easily separable way by means of thin material bridges or by interlocking elements, or that the sectional elements are in an easily exchangeable way plugged onto a common base mat or, being interconnected by material bridges, are laid out within boundary elements on a base mat.
According to the invention, the length of the serially arranged sectional elements may extend essentially over the whole width of the sectional element mat, but it is also possible to subdivide the sectional elements both in transverse and longitudinal directions of the sectional element mat.
For clarity of presentation of the individual components, the cover of the mattress is omitted.